Exam Review Project

Ok, I will just start by saying that I love this project.  It's one of my favorite activities of the year!

So, the details:

• Our exams are coming up.  A week or so before the exam, I give my students a review packet.  For my Calculus students, I just given them practice problems.  My Algebra 1 students are given practice problems and a review of each unit we have covered.
• I assign students groups of about 3 people.  Each group is assigned 2 or 3 problems from the review.  They start by solving those problems and carefully checking their work.
• Each group uses an iPad to record a tutorial video in Educreations.  This is a free app (iPad) or website (PC/tablet).  It makes videos in the style of Khan Academy, recording students' writing on a 'whiteboard' and their voices as they explain the problem.  The videos average about 2 minutes.
• The tutorial videos are collected, checked, and posted on their class website.  Students can then view a short video to explain any problem on their review worksheet.

 Most of my students really enjoy this project.  Some are a little embarrassed to record their voices, but because we work in groups, they can contribute to the group in other ways.  They love watching their peers' videos, which gets them listening to math for an extra hour or so.  They make up intros and outros (Is that a word?), they rap the steps to solving the problem, they make a celebration page when they finish the problem.  It's great fun.

It does take some time to grade the videos, but the way I see it, my students are getting a good review, doing a project, and helping each other prepare for the exam all at the same time.  It's worth watching 100 videos.

What are your greatest Math projects?  How do you help prepare students for the exam?